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Placement Overview

MSU uses math, writing, and language placements to ensure incoming students register for the courses best suited to their current skills. All students need to receive math and writing placements to register for classes, and students wishing to take a language class need a language placement.

Math and writing placements can be based on several different metrics that students might already have available, such as standardized test scores (see each section below for specific requirements). If students do not have a math or writing placement based on these metrics, or if they would like to attempt to improve their placement, they may take the EdReady Initial Math Placement and/or EdReady Initial Writing Placement exams.

If students are interested in taking a foreign language at MSU and have any prior experience in that language, they should take the appropriate language placement exam as outlined below.

Signed up for Orientation and need to take your math and/or writing placement exams? These will be available in your online Orientation pathway starting November 24, 2025 for Spring (mid-year) entry students.

Math Placement

Writing Placement

Language Placement

 

 

Math Placement

What is math placement and why is it required?

All students at MSU, regardless of major, must meet MSU's Quantitative Reasoning (Q) general education requirement—that is, every student must have credit for a qualifying math course to graduate. Plus, many courses at MSU require mathematics prerequisites.

MSU wants to place you in courses in which you will succeed, so we use an assigned math placement to help inform your first-semester course registration at MSU. MSU offers many options to meet the Quantitative Reasoning (Q) requirement, but which is best for you will depend on your math placement and the math courses required by your major.

Want to learn more about what your math placement means? Check out these resources from the Math Department:

How math placement is determined

There are two main metrics MSU uses to assign math placements:

  • ACT/SAT scores
  • EdReady Initial Math Placement (available through your online Orientation, see details below)

Students may use earned college credit (AP/IB/dual enrollment/transfer credit) in lieu of an assigned math placement, although we still recommend taking the EdReady Initial Math Placement to confirm or raise your placement. The previously taken college credit must be equivalent to a prerequisite course for the MSU math class you are planning to take or equivalent to the math class(es) required for your major. Learn more about transferring credit to MSU. 

If you have more than one of these metrics on file, we will honor the highest.

PLEASE NOTE:  if you are using college credit in lieu of a placement score, the placement box(es) in your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist will not get checked off. This will not impact your ability to attend Orientation or register for classes. Plan to bring unofficial copies of your college-level transcripts to Orientation/your academic advising appointment.

EdReady Initial Math Placement

MSU partners with EdReady Montana to provide FREE a math placement exam and math review and study tools. EdReady will be made available to you after you have registered for Orientation. Instructions to access the EdReady Initial Math Placement are included in your online Orientation. 

You'll need to take the EdReady Initial Math Placement if you:

  • Do not have ACT/SAT, AP Precalculus, AP Calculus AB/BC, or IB scores on file, or
  • Do not have applicable transfer/dual enrollment earned college credit to be used in lieu of a math placement

We strongly recommend taking the EdReady Initial Math Placement if you:

  • Are planning to use transfer credit in lieu of a math placement. Having both credit and an EdReady score on file will guarantee a smoother course registration experience.
  • Don't have your ACT/SAT on file (checked off in your MyMSU Admissions Checklist) one week before you are set to attend Orientation/meet with your academic advisor and register for classes. Please note: It takes several weeks for ACT/SAT scores to be received and processed by our office, so plan ahead!
  • Already have a placement on file based on your ACT/SAT but would like to challenge it for a higher placement.
    • If you already took the EdReady Initial Math Placement and didn't score as high as you'd hoped, you may complete your Study Path in EdReady to move up—up to two levels!

Learn more about the EdReady Initial Math Placement.

Frequently Asked Questions - Math Placement

We use high school GPA by itself to provide writing placements. As most students have a self-reported high school GPA on file, most students will have a writing placement. 

We do not use high school GPA alone to assign math placements, so you'll need to take the EdReady math placement test (available in your online Orientation and our recommended option) or send ACT or SAT scores. 

If you have AP/IB/dual enrollment/transfer credit that gives you credit for the prerequisite class for the math class you need to take or for the math class(es) required by your major, you may use that in lieu of a math placement. The math placement box will not get checked off in this case.

Yes, unless MSU received your official ACT, SAT, or AP/IB test scores by the Wednesday before your Orientation session,  by July 8, or (for transfer, nontraditional, and Veteran students) before your academic advising appointment, whichever is earliest. 

Transfer students should plan to take the EdReady test if they aren't transferring math credits to MSU or if their math transfer credits are not equivalent to a prerequisite math course or major math requirement.

Take the EdReady Initial Math Placement anyway to ensure that your placement reflects your current math skills. If you haven’t already, you must also have an official transcript sent to MSU showing successful completion of the college math course.

Please also bring unofficial copies of your college-level transcripts to Orientation or, for transfer students, your academic advising appointment.

You cannot retake it, but you can work up in placement! The Initial Math Placement works by assessing your current knowledge and identifying gaps. After you take it, you are encouraged to continue to work in the EdReady system through your study path. Your study path guides you in independent mathematics learning and review. You can advance one or two math levels, up to level 400 (pre-calculus), if you successfully complete your study path by August 25.

Learn more about Math Placement

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Writing Placement

What is writing placement and why is it required?

All MSU students, regardless of major, are required to fulfill MSU's writing (W) general education (CORE) requirement. To make sure students are placed into the correct writing level and learning environment, MSU uses various metrics to assign a writing placement to students for the purposes of academic advising and course registration.

To receive Writing (W) CORE credit, students must earn an exemption from the Writing (W) Core or take WRIT 101 College Writing or the WRIT 101/001 College Writing with Corequisite support for College Writing. Some students will start with WRIT 080 Basic Writing Skills to ensure they are thoroughly prepared for WRIT 101.

How writing placement is determined & writing placement levels

MSU can use the following metrics to evaluate the writing skills of incoming students and assign a writing placement. If you have more than one of these on file, we will honor the highest:

WRITING PLACEMENT MSU / GALLATIN COLLEGE COURSE

Level 100

  • ACT English Language: 0 – 15
  • ACT Combined English/Writing: 0 – 15
  • ACT Writing Subject: 3 – 4
  • ACT Writing Sub-score: 3 – 4
  • ACT English: 0 – 15
  • SAT Writing/Language: 10 – 18
  • High School GPA 1.00-1.99
  • EdReady Score 0-55

WRIT 080 – Building Basic Writing Skills

Level 200

  • ACT English Language: 16 – 17
  • ACT Combined English/Writing: 16 – 17
  • ACT Writing Subject: 5 – 6
  • ACT Writing Sub-score: 5 – 6
  • ACT English: 16 – 21
  • SAT Writing/Language: 19 – 24
  • High School GPA 2.00-2.49
  • EdReady Score 56-70

WRIT 001 / WRIT 101W – Co-Req Support for WRIT 101W

Level 300

  • ACT English Language: 18+
  • ACT Combined English/Writing: 18+
  • ACT Writing Subject: 7 – 10
  • ACT Writing Sub-score: 7 – 10
  • ACT English: 22 – 27
  • SAT Writing/Language: 25 – 37
  • High School GPA 2.50-3.89
  • EdReady Score 71 and above

WRIT 101W – College Writing I

Level 400

  • ACT Writing Subject: 11+
  • ACT Writing Sub-score: 11+
  • ACT English: 28+
  • SAT Reading/Writing: 750+
  • SAT Writing/Language: 38+
  • SAT Essay Total: 22+
  • SAT Essay Writing: 7+
  • AP English Lang/Comp: 4
  • IB English A: Lang & Lit HL: 3
  • High School GPA 3.9 or higher

Exempt from Writing (W) Core Course

Writing placement exemption and college-level credit

You may not need a writing placement if you have one of the following:

  • Transfer credit equivalent to three or more credit hours in WRIT 101W, WRIT 201W, or ELEC ###W.
  • A score of 4 or 5 in AP English Language and Composition
  • A score of 4 or higher in IB English A: Language and Literature HL

EdReady Initial Writing Placement

MSU partners with EdReady Montana to provide FREE a writing placement exam. Instructions to access the EdReady Initial Writing Placement are included in your online Orientation. 

You are required to take the EdReady Initial Math Placement if you:

  • Do not have ACT/SAT scores on file or
  • do not have a high school GPA on file or
  • do not have applicable college-level credit (AP/IB/dual enrollment/transfer credit) on file.

We recommend taking the EdReady Initial Math Placement if you currently have a writing placement of 100 or 200.

Frequently Asked Questions - Writing Placement

The EdReady IWP is designed to evaluate what you already know. You will not need any additional materials. Please set aside at least one hour for proper completion. You are only eligible to complete the EdReady IWP once and not eligible to retake if you have already attempted.

No. The EdReady IWP assessment helps place you into Writing Placement level 100-300. You may only be exempt from taking WRIT 101 if you have equivalent college-level credit, ACT/SAT scores that place you at the 400 level, or a cumulative high school GPA of 3.9 or higher.

If you have not already, to complete the EdReady Initial Writing Placement, you must login to the EdReady System and complete the assessment. (You can also access EdReady through your online Orientation.) Once you complete the EdReady IWP, please take a picture or screenshot of your score and review how your EdReady score aligns with MSU courses. Your results will be available to your Academic Advisor the next business day. Please be sure to complete your writing placement at least one day before your Orientation advising appointment. We encourage you to complete the IWP as soon as you can because the EdReady system also builds in opportunities for you to review and advance in your placement.

No, but you can work up in placement! The EdReady IWP works by assessing your current knowledge and identifying gaps. After you take it, you are encouraged to continue to work in the EdReady system through your study path. Your study path guides you in independent writing lessons and review. You can advance a writing level if you successfully complete your study path by August 25. Note: You must score 90 or above on the IWP study path to place into the next level of writing. Students with placement of Level 100 (WRIT 080 Basic Writing Skills) will only be able to place up to Level 200 (WRIT 101 College Writing with WRIT 001 Corequisite Support for College Writing).
English Placement - More Information

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Language Placement

Acquiring proficiency in another language can be an important part of your university education regardless of your major. The ability to communicate with people from other cultures is an advantage in any career.

If you are thinking about taking a language course at MSU, please review the following information for language placement purposes. For more information see http://www.montana.edu/mll/placement.html. 

If you have taken the AP or IB exam, OR took a dual enrollment college credit course in high school, OR grew up speaking the language at home, please see Modern Languages (Gaines 117) regarding placement. Please note that your AP/IB results must be sent from the testing agency to the Office of Admissions. 

Students who have had at least one year of a language within the last five (5) years must take the WebCAPE exam and see Modern Languages (Gaines 117) for an oral proficiency interview and placement.

If you place in a language course level other than 101, there is good news.  Once you receive your grade in your first language class at MSU (C or higher), see Modern Languages to request credit for the classes below that level for free. This is NOT automatic, so it is your responsibility to see the Modern Languages Department in Gaines 117 (406-994-4448) for assistance.

Language Placement - More Information

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Questions? We're here to help.

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us! You can email our staff at orientation@montana.edu, or call us Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm MT at 1-888-MSU-CATS.

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